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Vertical experts drive Zebra channel success

one year on, the PartnersFirst channel programme delivers strength in depth

July 03, 2007

Zebra Technologies, the global provider of on-demand printing solutions, has reported a surge in membership of its PartnersFirst programme from outside the traditional Auto ID space. This complements the partner base that is the backbone of the Zebra channel.

PartnersFirst was launched one year ago to differentiate between distributors, resellers buying through distribution and direct resellers. The programme defines the company’s relationship with the different groups and delivers a high level of support to each of them accordingly; either directly or via a specific Authorised Distributor track. The scheme also now identifies a number of other partner specialities including Technology Partners, of which there are now 50 across EMEA, selling vertical solutions designed to complement Zebra’s products.

“The AutoID industry has seen some significant developments over the last 12 months, and PartnersFirst has done well to reflect this through its transparent structure and clear information channels,” said Mike Pullon, managing director at Varlink. “Our commitment to Zebra is recognised in the support we receive, including training, marketing information and technical know-how.”

“There is a fresh focus in the industry on using Zebra technology to make business more efficient, rather than simply for compliance purposes,” said Marion Obergfell, channel marketing manager at Zebra Technologies. “Mobile applications in particular have opened up opportunities outside the traditional Auto ID space. This has attracted new types of partners to join our programme, including IT-centric resellers.”

During PartnersFirst’s second year, Obergfell plans to further develop and refine the programme, with particular focus on training. She continued: “Our channel is complex, and 860 partners across Europe, Middle East and Africa is a significant network to manage. We work with different partners for different reasons, and it’s important to recognise the contribution they all make. We’ll continue to grow PartnersFirst by rewarding our partners for their particular market skills and experience, in line with their commitment to Zebra.”
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Executive quote

“There is a fresh focus in the industry on using Zebra technology to make business more efficient, rather than simply for compliance purposes,” said Marion Obergfell, channel marketing manager at Zebra Technologies. “Mobile applications in particular have opened up opportunities outside the traditional Auto ID space. This has attracted new types of partners to join our programme, including IT-centric resellers.”

Customer quote

“The AutoID industry has seen some significant developments over the last 12 months, and PartnersFirst has done well to reflect this through its transparent structure and clear information channels,” said Mike Pullon, managing director at Varlink. “Our commitment to Zebra is recognised in the support we receive, including training, marketing information and technical know-how.”

About the company

About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra®-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, "smart" label and receipt printers, and plastic card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than five million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, as well as ZebraDesigner software, ZebraLink connectivity solutions, Genuine Zebra printing supplies and ZebraCare services. Information about Zebra specialty printing solutions is at http://www.zebra.com.

Zebra Technologies Europe Ltd, headquartered in the United Kingdom, provides product and speciality label sales and support across EMEA.

Contact details

For further information, please contact:
Lisa Gillingham or Jenny Thomas at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: lisag/jennyt@lewispr.com Web: www.lewispr.com

Technorati tags: Zebra | RFID | Auto ID |

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